Packaging and display devices



April 9, 1957 R. R. LEVIS ETAL 2,738,123

I PACKAGING AND DISPLAY DEVICES 7 Filed Sept. 6, 1955 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2.

4 I6 I8 30 5o 32 45 '9 24 Y 65 uvwzmons ROBERT R LEVIS BY RAY MOND M.R|NG

April 9, 1957 R. R. LEVIS ETAL 88,

PACKAGING AND DISPLAY DEVICES Filed Sept; 6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 7. A FIG.8.

I IOO I I IOI INVENTORS ROBERT R. LEVIS BY RAYMOND MRING ATTIS April 9, 1957 R. R. LEVIS ETAL 2,788,123

PACKAGING AND DISPLAY DEVICES Filed Sept. 6, 1955 s Shee ts-Sheet 5 I III I I INVENTORJ ROBERT R.LEVIS L J a RAYMONDM.RING

Unitd States Patent PACKAGING AND DISPLAY DEVICES" Robert R; Levis, Webster, and Raymond-M. Ring, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to Hickok Manufacturing Co. Inc.,.Rochester, N. Y., acorporation. of New York Application September 6, 1955; Serial No; 532,592

8 Claims. (Cl. 206-75) Thisinvention relates to display devices in. general and pertains more particularly to' an insert or pad which may or' may not be utilized in conjunction with a box..

One of the objects of this'invention is to provide improvements indisplay' padsand box inserts by means of which articlesof-manufacture, as" for example jewelry, may be conveniently displayed thereby'and in association therewith.

Another object of this invention is to provide a displaydevicewhich incorporates--21 flat, flexible body, constructed of cardboard or similar flexible material, and which is characterized by the provision of at 'leasttwo spaced" openings therein, which openings are interconnected by aslit oralong the line of severance whereby major portionsof the body on opposite sides :of thetopenings =are-rendered separable so that when the articles of manufacture,- such as jewelry, are inserted 'throughtthe openings, they will be clampingly held in place at 'a desired angle for most advantageously displaying the articles.

Another object of this invention is'toprovide' an im-. prove'd form ofinsert for use-in display boxes; which is so constructed that a thin-coveringof'clothlike'material may be used asthesole means of -providinganiattractive interior for-the box.

- Another-objectofthis-invention is to' render the manufa'ctu-re of boxes more eeonomical'by the use ofa card'- board: or similar insert which-is characterizedby the.

provision of at least two spaced openings therein; which; openings are interconnected by' a slit or line'ofseverance and wherein a sheet of cloth or similar material is placed (W62? th einsert to term a covering; therefor" with the 1 covering being pleated and with portions ofthe pleat beingz projectedthrouglr the spaced openings and the intervening :slitwherebytoavoid undue puckeringpf the covering material and: otherwise provide a handsome interiorafonthe bonwhile at the same-time"theconstruck tion of "ith'e-r insert 1 is such as to readily retain articles of jewelrydn: fixed position within the box';

Still. janotherobject of'this invention is to'provi'de' an" improvedwfor'm of: box insert characterized-. by -the provi sioncofiia: pain of: spaced elongate openingsth'erein which are;in1erconnected :between adjacent end's-by-a slit and wherein; the opposite ends'ofthe openings are disposed closely'sadiflccntto: opposite sides of the main body por-' tionofi'the-insertso that the main body porti'onis' in effect diilidedzinto'twowparts on opposite sides of the slit"and openings toeperrnit a greater degreewof flexibility in the body portion: thanris otherwise attainable, which effects very good'degree ofxclamping acti'on byithemain bod-y portionnupon:articles of jewelry projected th'erethrouglh Stillf another :objeot 'of this invention is to-provide'arr improvement: in; a' box insert in accordance with the-precedihg-objeetso as topermita, single layer otL'cloth. or

ings and intervening slit permits the clothcovering tobe pleated along the path defined by the longitudinalaxis of. the openings and. the intervening slit such that the major portion of such pleat may be projected through the open: ings and the slit to allow portionsof jewelryto be pro jected through the openings or through the, openings and the slit whereby the covering material will lie substantially fiat upon the upper face of the insert.

With the above and other objectsin view,.the inven-. tion consists in the construction and novel combination. and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed-out in the claims hereto appended,,it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and' minor details of construction, within the scope of the clair'ns,, may be resorted to Without departing from thev spirit'vor sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a box having .an insert constructed in accordance with this invention disposed. therein and shows the same in open position with certain articles of jewelry being displayed;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken. substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l and'illustrating the manner in which the articles' 'of jewelry are retained inclampedposition by the insert; and

Figs. 3-11 show various forms which the insert or 'display pad may take.

Referring most particularly at this point to Figs. 1 and 2, the-referencenumeral '10 indicates abox generally. The boxincludes the usual lid or cover 11 whichkis. hingedly secured by any suitable hinge mechanism to the'base portion ofthe box. The base portion has a bottom 1-2, front and" rear Walls 13 and respectively, and" opposite side Walls'lS and'16. Thebox may be con: structed of-any suitable material such as cardboard'or the like or maybe formed of metal covered with suitable material such as imitation leather'or the like;v Means, notshown; are usually-provided for retaining .the lid 11, of the boxeither in the open position as shown in Figs; .1 and 2 01' in acompletely closed position.

The interior of i the-lid is "covered with a layer 16 of suitable material which is preferably ad'hesivelysecured' at its marginal'edgesto -the=interior of theliiior' this covering may take the form of asep'arately coveredinsert member which is frictionallyretained-"Within the" lid proper-. Ifan insert is not-used in the lid; the'covering 16 ma befolded back upon itselfas at 17' to project'oute wardly of the lid-and over-the top edge; of-the rear wall 14 and down into the baseof'thebox'as indicated by thereference character 13," the purpose of -thisconstruction being. to. conceal the'hinge' structure and to generally'em hance the appearance of the interior of the box;

Referringmore particularly at this point to" Fig: 3, reference; numeral 19"-indicate's generally one-form of improvedcinsert' forluse in conjunction with the base of" the box 10. This inserthas a main body' portion 20 which. isofianarea generally-conforming to thecon figuration andiextent of the-interior of the base-ofthe' boxand the-main: bodyiportionhas-the side marginal edge projectionsxll; 22,1 23iand 24 which are integral 'with the-main bodyyportionnbut which have: the score lines 25; 26,; 27 and: 28;; as clearly, shown; which: permit: these 5 marginal. edge; portions to be readily/folded into: depending, relation; so that the. insert:- when; the marginal i portions; are-:thusafolded: may; be: disposed within the interiorofthe box: base:as=-illustratedsin Eig; 2.; When== inserted ;.in.; this manner the :;main-.-. body" portion: 20 is. disposed spaced. relation above-:zthe :bottom: 121 015: thee base. v

In the; example 'shownt-in-fiigi 3, themainsbody portiotu 3 of the insert is provided with two pairs of openings 29 and 30 and 31 and 32. Each of these openings is elongate and in the particular example shown the longitudinal axes of the openings of each pair are coaxial and the adjacent ends 33 and 34 of each pair of openings are interconnected by a line of severence or a slit 35 which is also coaxial with the longitudinal axes of the openings and which extends completely through the thickness of the material forming the main body portion 20. The entire insert is made from a sheet of flexible materialsuch as cardboard or a similar substance and it will be manifest that the formation of an individual insert may be readily performed by a simple single stamping operation.

Each opening has elongate oppositely extending and portions 36 and 37 and an enlarged central portion 38 defining an area of maximum opening. The ends 39 and 40 of each pair .of openings which are disposed remote from the interconnecting slit 35 are disposed closely adjacent opposite sides of the main body portion 20 of the insert. This latter construction, as will be seen, constitutes a substantial separation of the main body portion into two. portions or parts as indicated by the reference characters 41 and 42 which lie on opposite sides of the axis which extends through the openings and through the intervening slit. This renders the regions 41 and 42 much more flexible in relation to each other than would be attainable if this substantial line of separation did not exist, the purpose of the construction being presently apparent.

Although many forms of jewelry may be utilized in conjunction with the-insert above set forth, the specific example shown in Figs. 1 and 2 relates to a pair of cuff links 43 and 44 and a tie bar or clasp 45. Each cuff link has a pair of depending spaced leg portions 46 and 47 which have pivotally connected between their free end portions a retaining bar 48 which is movable between a position which extends at right angles to the legs 46 and 47 and a position where the bar 48 extends in the same direction .as the legs, for a purpose well known and understood in this art.

As will be seen most clearly in Fig. 2, the central portions 38 of the openings 29 and 30, etc. are of such width that when the legs 46 and 47 are projected therethrough, they will cause a slight separationof the opposed edge portions which define the slit 35. That is to say, the thickness through the legs 46 and 47 is greater than the width across the central portions 38 of the openings so as to spread the regions 41 and 42 of the main body portion 20 apart. Since the least line of resistance for separation of these portions 41 and 42 of the main body portion is for them to separate in a vertical direction as shown in Fig. 2, a natural tilt of the face portionof the stud or similar jewelry will be attained which causes the jewelry to be more clearly visible, as will be seen.

This effect is, of course, made possible by the placement of the openings close enough to the opposite side edges of the main body portion 20 that the portions 41 and 42 may be deformed in the manner described, bearing in mind that the article of jewelry inserted through the openings must, of course, at the same time he of sufficient thickness as to cause the deformation of the portions 41 and 42 and effect the natural clamping action.

The tie bar has a clip member disposed beneath its face portion and in the particular form shown in Fig. 2 the cliphas a jaw member 49 which is nonnally spring urged into engagement with the under surface of the face plate of the tie bar, there being an underlying extension of the bar (not shown) which extends from adjacent one end thereof to a point substantially medially of itstends to which the jaw member 49 is pivotally attached. In the form of insert shown in Fig. 3, the extensionprojeets'through either one of the openings 31 or 32, whereas the jaw member 49 projects upwardly through the remaining opening to engage the under surface of the face plate. Of course, the tie bar, like the cuff link, may take any desired conventional form but since these conventional forms are of generally the same construction, the particular configuration shown in Fig. 3 will under almost all circumstances work aswell for one form of jewelry as another.

The insert is covered with a layer of material 50 which material may be a satiny cloth or similar desired sub stance. The covering is of an area suflicient to cover the entire area of the main body portion 20 and is preferably of such a size as to completely cover the marginal edge portions 2124 also, so that the marginal edges of the covering may be folded around the various side extensions 21-24 and adhesively secured to the inner surfaces thereof. Such marginal edge portion of the covering material is indicated by the reference character 51 and it may be understood that any desirable adhesive material may be used to secure the portion 51 to the inner surfaces of the side extensions 21-24. Of course, it is not intended to limit the securement of the cloth covering to the insert to adhesive means only inasmuch as it will be readily apparent that other and similar fastening means may be used to advantage.

Another important advantage of the provision of substantially complete separation between opposite side edges of the main body portion 20 as effected by each pair of openings and the intervening slit, is to permit the covering 50 to be pleated in the manner indicated most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the entire portion of each pleat which lies between the opposite ends 39 and 40 of each pair of openings may be projected through and beneath the main body portion 20 so as to form a pocket for receiving the projecting portions of the jewelry. By providing a substantial extent of opening through which the pleat may project, the covering is allowed to accommo date for the normal amount of puckering which occurs around the edges of the openings and to retain a neat appearance in those regions 52, 53, 54 and 55 beyond the opposite ends of the various openings and in which the pleat does not project through the body of the insert. By this construction, the covering material lies substantially flat against the upper surface of the insert body 20 and in general a handsome and neat interior for the box is thus attained.

As will be clearly seen in Fig. 1, that portion of the pleat which projects through the slit 35 and which is indicated by the reference character 56 merely appears as a line in the face of the covering material and in no way detracts from the overall neat appearance thereof.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of insert 57 whose main body portion 58 is provided with only two enlarged openings 59 and 60. Each opening is formed similarly to the previously mentioned openings 2932 and these two openings are interconnected by the line of severance or slit 61. The opposite ends 62 and 63 are, of course, disposed closely adjacent their corresponding side edges of the insert member to divide the insert body into the two relatively deformable portions or areas 64 and 65 which lie at opposite sides of the axis extending between the end portions 62 and 63, for the purposes above described. In the case of the insert 19, the various openings 29--32 are disposed generally at the four corners of the body 20 in symmetrical fashion whereas in the insert 57 the openings 59 and are disposed substantially centrally of the main body portion 58 although it is, of course, to be realized that the exact placement of diagonally opposed corners of the main body portion-v67.

Here again, however, the adjacent ends and 71 of thetwo openings 68 and 69 are joined along a line of severance or slit 72 in the manner shown, andiin the case of this particular insert 66, the cloth covering is provided with a generally zig-zag pleat which extends from the score line '73 directly across the main body portion 67 to the point of intersection between the slit 72 and the end '76 of the opening 68 and thence angularly along the line of the slit 72 to the point of intersection between the slit 72 and the end 71 of the opening 69 and thence directly across along the longitudinal axis of the opening 69 to the score line 74 in parallel with the first mentioned portion of the pleat. Thus even though the longitudinal axes of the enlarged openings are not in alignment, a neat appearing and handsome pleat can be formed.

Fig. 6 shows a still further modified form of insert indicated generally by the reference character 75 and which includes the main body portion 76 havinga pair of spaced openings 77and 78 formed therein. The opposite ends '79 and 80 of these openings are disposed closely adjacent opposite side edges of the main body 76 in the manner previously described and the adjacent ends of these openings 77 and 78 are connected by the slit or narrow passageway 81 which is formed by the'provision of the two neck portions 82 and 83 which separate the openings '77 and 78.

The particular; type Off-'CODStIUCtiOH shown in Fig. 6 is particularly adaptable for use in conjunction with elongate articles of jewelry which utilize a clasp or clip, such as articles like thepreviously described tie bar 45.

Fig. 7 shows a still further modified insert 84 whose main body portion 85 incorporates openings which. are a combination of the formsshown in Figs. 3 and 4 and in Fig. 6. That is, the pair of openings 86 and 87 and the intervening slit 88 are in accordance with the previously described openings shown in Figs. 3 and 4 whereas the openings 89 and 90 are similar to the form shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 illustrates a further modified insert 91 having in the lower region of its main body 92 a modified form of opening and intervening slit system. This system incorporates two or more spaced and aligned generally circular enlarged openings 93, 94 and 95 which are substantially evenly spaced between opposite side edges of the main body portion 92 and which openings are interconnected by a pair of intervening slits or passageways 96 and 97. Further, since the end openings 93 and 95 are of substantially small area and since they are not placed too closely adjacent the opposite sides of the body 92, there are provided lateral slits 98 and 99 which extend from the respective end openings 93 and 95 toward the adjacent side edges of the body 92. These slits 98 and 99, of course, terminate at points 100 and 101 which are spaced closely adjacent to their corresponding sides of the body 92.

The modification shown in Fig. 9 is constructed generally along the lines of the various inserts or pads as hereinbefore set forth. However, the body 102 thereof is provided with the spaced openings 103 and 104 which are configurated in a difierent manner than the previously mentioned devices. These openings are characterized by the enlarged end portions 105 and 106 which are interconnected by the narrowed portions 107 with there being a notch 108 of arcuate form as shown and an opposed substantially rectangular notch 109 located substantially centrally between the end enlarged portions 195 and 196 to provide an enlarged space thereat. The adjacent enlarged end portions of the two openings 103 and 164 are connected along a line of severance 110 for the purpose previously described. The enlarged central portion of the openings serves to receive portions of the articles displayed by the body 102, as for example, such enlarged portions may conveniently receive the stems of cuflilinks so thatwith' the notch: 1091 permitting: the: studs; to .be cantedyery easily inthe position-of the stud shown in Fig. 2.

opening 111 which is joined with the other opening 112 along the linesof severance 114, and 116. The linesv ofseverance 114 and 115 extend below the openings 111 and 112 in the manner shown to terminate at spaced.

pointsto define a tab portion 117 which is foldable along the line 1.18 as shown and the body of the tab is provided 1 with an enlarged opening 119 for the purpose.-

presently set forth.

The purpose of the tab will be seen most clearly in.

Fig. 11 wherein it will be seen that it is most advantageously used in conjunction with a tie clip assemblage indicated by the reference character 120. The front bar;

121 of the tie clip overlies the tab and, when it is desired to place the tie barin proper position, the tab is folded back as shown in Fig. 11 and the tie clip is so positionedthat its lever 122 engages the back of the bar 121 through the opening. 119 in the tab and the tab is then folded' back into substantially the plane of the body 102 so that.

it is displayed as is substantially shown in the dotted line position in Fig. 11.

the absence of the tabs or flaps. With a display pad as indicated generally by the reference character 123 in Fig. 10, the pad may be used independently of a box or it may be placed within a box, as desired but the device is very advantageously used. as a counter display by itself and not in association witha box with the jewelry or articlesof manufacture positioned thereon.

All of the various forms of the invention as shown specifically in Figs. 3-11, as previously stated, may either take the form as shown in Fig. 10 wherein the device is adaptable for use either with or without a box or they may be provided with the tabs specifically shown in Figs. 3-9 wherein they are particularly adapted for use in a box such as that shown in Fig. 1 although, of course, it is to be understood that the specific type of box shown in Fig. l is illustrative only and is not intended to be restrictive since any type of box may be used. Moreover, it is contemplated that the various inserts or display pads may be used with or without the covering material. For example, the device as shown in Fig. 10 may be utilized with the pleated cover material as previously described in conjunction with Fig. 2 or the outer surface of the pad 123 may be made so as to have an attractive appearance and the covering material dispensed with. This, of course, obtains for the other forms of the invention. as shown in Figs. 3-9.

We claim:

1. A display pad comprising, a substantially flat main body constructed of flexible material, said main body having a pair of opposed elongate openings therein and there being a slit extending between and interconnecting adjacent end portions of the openings, and a cover of pliable material for said pad, said covering material being of an area to completely cover said main body and having a pleat therein extending throughout the material, the pleat being formed along the longitudinal axes of said elongate openings and along the axes of said slit and being projected between both the openings and said slit.

2. In a box having a base portion in the form of a receptacle, an insert disposed within said base, and a covering of pliable material for said insert, said insert including a flat, sheet like main body portion held in position within the base and spaced from the bottom thereof, said main body portion having a pair of spaced openings therein and there being a slit extending between other and connecting said openings, said covering material extending over at least the entire main body portion of the insert, and said covering material having a pleat therein with portions of the pleat projected through said openings and the slit.

3. In a box having a base portion in the form of a receptacle, an insert disposed within said base, and a covering of pliable material for said insert, said insert including a fiat, sheet like main body portion held in position within said base and spaced from the bottom thereof, said main body having a pair of spaced, elongate openings therein and there being a slit extending between and interconnecting adjacent end portions of the openings, said covering material being of an area to completely cover said main body portion of the insert and having a pleat therein extending between opposite side edges of the material, the pleat being formed along the longitudinal axes of said elongate openings and along the axes of said slit and being projected through both the openings and the slit.

4. In a box having a base portion in the form of a receptacle, an insert disposed within said base, and a covering of pliable material for said insert, said insert comprising a sheet of flexible material having a fiat main body portion and depending marginal edge portions to support the main body portion in spaced relation above the bottom of said base, said covering material being of such area to cover the main body portion of the insert and extend over and around said depending edge portions of the same for securement thereto at the marginal area of the covering material, and said material having a pleat therein extending across the width thereof, there being a pair of spaced, elongate openings in the main body portion of the insert and a slit extending between and connecting adjacent end portions of said openings, the opposite ends of said openings being disposed closely adjacent opposite 5 side edges of said main body portion whereby the main body portion is rendered flexible by separation across substantially its entire width, said pleat being projected through both said openings and said slit.

' 5. In a display device comprising a substantially flat body of flexible material, and a covering of pliable ma terial for said body, said covering material being of such area to cover one surface of said body and said material having a pleat therein extending across the width thereof, there being a pair of spaced, elongate openings in the body and a slit extending between and connecting adjacent end portions of said openings, the opposite ends of said openings being disposed closely adjacent opposite side edges of the body whereby the body is rendered flexible by separation across substantially its entire width, said pleat being projected through both said openings and said slit.

6. In the display device as defined in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal axes of said openings and of said slit are coaxial.

'7. In the display device as defined in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal axes of said openings are disposed in spaced parallelism.

8. In the display device as defined in claim 5, wherein said openings are disposed with their longitudinal axes parallel, said slit extending substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axes of said openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

